Mystery writer Dame Agatha Christie created her beloved character "Miss Marple" as an elderly spinster who lives in England's quaint village of St. Mary Mead. This rural setting has provided Miss Marple with infinite illustrations of the negative side of human nature, sharpening her mental acuity to seek and find the most pertinent and hidden clues in solving difficult crimes.
Miss Marple, this introverted but nosy character, has been enacted by renown greats such as Dame Margaret Rutherford who appeared as the eccentric and domineering sleuth in four of George Pollock's films based on the novels. Other notables playing this role have been Joan Hickson from 1984 to 1992 in the BBC adaptation "Miss Marple." In 2004, ITV broadcast a series titled "Agatha Christie's Marple" starring Geraldine McEwan (The Magdalene Sisters) and Julia McKenzie (Cranford), while Angela Lansbury played Miss Marple in the movie version of The Mirror Crack'd with Elizabeth Taylor. Agatha Christie's Marple: Fan Favorites Collection's includes the five stories mentioned above with Geraldine McEwan playing in the first three episodes and Julia McKenzie playing in the latter two. Other guest stars include Derek Jacobi, Peter Davison, Francesca Annis, Matthew Macfadyen, Rupert Graves, Lindsay Duncan, Hugh Bonneville, and Joanna Lumley.
Christie's Miss Marple first appeared in a full-length novel in "The Murder at the Vicarage" in 1930, and this is the first selection on Agatha Christie's Marple: Fan Favorites Collection. The despised Colonel Lucius Protheroe is found murdered in the vicar's study in St. Mary Mead. Mrs. Anne Protheroe, the widow of the deceased, is a close friend of Miss Marple and is not only under suspicion, but has confessed to the murder. When a second confession is received by the police, Marple's sleuthing skills must mete out and discover the real story underlying this perplexing crime.
The second selection is "A Murder Is Announced" which baffles the community when an announcement appears in the local newspaper of a murder to occur. Thinking this as a fun game, the locals all flock to the appointed place to await the mysterious but enticing entertainment. When a murder does occur, Miss Marple's talents are again requested to unravel this puzzle of clues to reveal a post-war story of redemption.
In "At Bertram's Hotel," the tempo is boundless and the excitement wraps round the hustle and bustle of the glorious Bertram Hotel. When death occurs on the roof of the hotel to one of its employees, Miss Marple again comes to the rescue. With the help of a young maid, Marple has access to a secret diary and discovers a scathing plan to unmask and bring to justice a despicable war criminal.
"Pocket Full of Rye" takes place in the pastoral setting of the Yew Tree Lodge where Marple's former employee, Maid Gladys, has found employment. However, when Miss Marple pays a visit Gladys has been murdered, along with businessman Rex Fortescue and his wife. It seems Fortescue had some misdealings with the Blackbird Mine in Kenya where Fortescue was suspected of killing his partner. The only clue left behind was a "pocketful of rye" in Fortescue's coat pocket. Miss Marple must untangle the mystery of this "Sing a Song of Sixpence" rhyme to find the answer.
The last presentation in Agatha Christie's Marple: Fan Favorites Collection is one of my favorites, "The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side." A famous movie star comes to live in St. Mary Mead and the village is starstruck from all the glamour. A grand luncheon is held by the Hollywood star where a guest is poisoned by a cocktail meant for the hostess. Marple, in her style, quietly but thoroughly investigates to uncover a tale of deep sadness and remorse that leads to an unsuspected death.
Agatha Christie's Marple: Fan Favorites Collection is a wonderful assortment of the mastery of Agatha Christie's mysteries. The Bonus Booklet, "Agatha Christie Delicious Death," shares a cake recipe from the movie "A Murder Is Announced," marking the 120th anniversary in 2010 of Miss Christie's birth. The disc set also serves as a perfect starter set if you're interested in delving into the mind and psyche of one of the greatest mystery writers of all time. I wholeheartedly recommend this collection to mystery fans everywhere!
